Wool-combing machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

T. KENNEDY.

- WO0L- GOMBING MACHINE.

N0. 421,725. Patented Feb. 18, 1890.

n I, WQIHHMMQ jnverdap in! Illlllli! 2 SheetS -Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

T. KENNEDY. WOOL GOMBING MAGHINE.

Patented Feb. 18, 1890 Witnesses ohrLnhom-apher. w shinglan, n c.

- UNITED STATES ATENT @FFICE.

THOMAS KENNEDY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

.WOOL-CQMBING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,725, dated Februaryis, 1890., Application filed September 6, 1889. Serial No. 323,133- (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that. I, THOMAS KENNEDY, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in WVool-Oombing Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

The obj ect of my invention is to provide an acceptable substitute forthe usual dabbingbrush for causing engagement of the wool with the teethof the rotating comb rings or circlesof a wool-combing machine; and thisobject I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 .is a side elevation,partly in section, of suflicient of a wool-combing machine to illustratemy invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of part of the machine onthe line 1 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional diagramillustrating the operation of that part of the machine to which myinvention particularly relates, and Fig. 4: is a transverse section ofpart of the machine.

In Fig. 1 A represents one of the fixed posts or columns of aWool-combing machine, having at the upper end a bearing for adrivingshaft B, provided with a belt-pulley a, the belt a from whichdrives a pulley b, which is free to turn on a spindle b, carried by thepost A and by an arm or hanger d, secured to the post. This pulleyusually operates a vertically-reciprocating dabbing-brush for pressingthe wool into the teeth of the inner and outer rotating toothed circlesor rings of the machine, which are shown, respectively, at F and F inFig. 2. The use of a reciprocating dabbing brush is objectionable,however, partly on account of its action upon the wool, but mainlybecause of the jarring of the machine, due to the reciprocating motion aresult of the use of the reciprocating dabbingbrush being that the speedof the machine is necessarily limited, in order to prevent unduevibration. In carrying out my invention, therefore,I substitute for thereciprocating dabbing-brush a feed-belt for pressing the wool downwardinto the teeth of the combrings, and a pressing shoe having inclined orbeveled bars or plates for supplementing the action of the feed-belt andcompleting the pressure of the wool into engagement with the comb-teeth.

The pressing-shoe shown in the drawings is composed of two parts G G,the former operating in conjunction with the teeth of the outer ring orcircle Fof the machine, and the shoe G acting in conjunction with theteeth of the inner ring or circle F of the machine, both parts of theshoe being carried by the forked lower end of the arm d, depending fromthe column or post A. The feedbelt a: is driven by a roughened orcorrugated roller f, into contact with which it is pressed by an upperroughened or corrugated roller f, the bearings for the shaft of whichare acted upon by a set-screw g, the shaft of the driving-roller fhaving a spur-wheel h, which meshes into a pinion v; on a shaft 2',having a spur-wheel m meshing into a pinion m o the hub of the pulley b.

The lower portion of the feed-belt 00 passes around a roller n, carriedby a stud-bolt n,

secured to an arm I, which is connected to. the post or column A, thebelt-roller being 10- catedimmediately in advance of the pressingshoeand the belt being of such a width and so located as to overlap both theouter ring or circle F and the inner ring or circle F of the machine tothe desired extent, as shown in Fig. 2.

Each pressing-shoe has a series of ribs .9 extending down between thecircumferential rows of teeth 10 on the ring or circle, in conjunctionwith which the pressing-shoe operates, these ribs having acircumferential contour similar to that of the toothed ring. As therings rotate, therefore, the laps of wool extending radially inward overthe rings are first acted upon by the feed-belt 0a, which extends downinto close proximity to the tops belt m may be compactly arranged andyet provide for a comparatively acute angle of the downward run of thebelt, so as to cause it to act upon the wool gradually, I hang to thedepending arm I a bar If, the outer end of which carries a roller 11,serving as a guide for the belt, the bar being adjustable longitudinallyon the arm I by means of a slot to and securing-bolt a, so that theangle of the downward run of the belt 06 may be varied, as desired.

I am aware that rotating rollers have been suggested as a means ofpressing the wool down onto the teeth of the rings, and hence I make noclaim for such a device. By the use of the belt and its guide-rollers,however, I am enabled to render the approach of the belt toward the topsof the teeth so gradual that it will perform the desired downwardpressing duty without having any tendency to obstruct the forwardmovement of the wool, thusovercoming an objection to the use of rollersfor the purpose.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent- 1. The combination of the toothed rings of awool-combing machine with a feed-belt for pressing the wool down ontothe teeth of said rings, a ribbed shoe acting upon the wool after itleaves the feed-belt and effecting the further pressing of the wool downinto the teeth, and guide or carrier rolls for the belt,

the forward roll being located close to the teeth of the rings, and therear roll being some distance above the tops of the teeth, whereby agradual approach of the downward run of the belt toward the teeth iseffected, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the toothed rings of a wool-combing machine with aribbed pressing-shoe, a belt for pressing the wool into the teeth of thecombs before it reaches the pressing-shoe, a driving-roll for said belt,and lower and intermediate carrier-rolls for the belt, the forwardroll'being located close to the teeth of the rings, and the rear rollbeing some distance above the tops of the teeth, whereby a gradualapproach of the downward run of the belt toward the teeth is effected,substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the toothed rings of a wool-combing machine, thebevel'ribbed pressingshoe, the feed-belt, driving and carrier rollstherefor, and an adjustable arm carrying an intermediate guide-roll forthe downward run of the belt, substantially asspecitied.

In testimony whereof I have signed 1115 1131116 to this specification inthe presence of: two.

subscribing witnesses. V

THOMAS KENNEDY. IVitnesses:

W ILLIAM D. CONNER, HARRY SMITH.

